It is known to transfer granular materials, such as powders or other particulate materials, via means of a transfer chute. A transfer chute is an inclined pathway between an inlet and outlet, wherein the pathway may be enclosed along part or all of its length. The inlet may receive granular material from a delivery point or an output of a process and transfer the granular material to an input of another process or an output point.
Transfer of granular materials may be problematic. Problems may arise when the granular material is formed by grains, granules or particles having two or a plurality of different sizes and/or densities. Different sizes or densities of particles may separate whilst flowing down the transfer chute. Thus, at the outlet of the chute, the granular material is not formed by a uniform mixture of particle sizes i.e. the differently sized particles have separated within the chute. Generally larger particles rise upwardly in a flow of granular material. Similarly, particles of different density may separate within the chute with particles of lower density rising upwardly in the flow of the granular material. Problems may also arise in that a flow of granular material through a chute may become one or both of fast and dilute, which may produce dust and chute wear.
It is an object of embodiments of the invention to at least mitigate one or more of the problems of the prior art.